Introduction

Every donated organ has the potential to save a life, but too often organs are declined based solely on donor characteristics. When transplant programs are unable to evaluate organs in person, potentially transplantable organs may go unused. ProCure helps change that by putting experienced recovery surgeons in the OR to offer trusted, real-time assessments that facilitate confident acceptance decisions.

Challenge

A California OPO was working to place organs from an extended criteria donor with a markedly elevated BMI and concern for significant fatty liver disease. Most programs declined the liver due to assumptions about its quality and transplant suitability. One transplant center, however, was interested in evaluating it in person. Because of the donor’s distance and lack of available staff, they needed a trusted partner to assess the potentially marginal organ’s viability on their behalf.

Solution

The transplant center contacted ProCure, which maintains a nationwide network of credentialed, experienced recovery specialists. ProCure quickly mobilized a surgeon to evaluate the liver in person and provide an expert, objective assessment on-site.

Outcome

The ProCure surgeon determined the liver was viable and suitable for transplant. ProCure’s donor organ recovery team proceeded with the recovery, and the liver was successfully transplanted. The recipient is doing well, and the donor’s final gift was honored thanks to a partnership that enabled a closer look.

Conclusion

Donor characteristics on paper often do not tell the full story. In today’s overstretched transplant system, transplant centers can’t always send a team to evaluate organs in person due to time, budget and resource constraints—that’s where ProCure comes in. With a national network of trusted experts, we support transplant centers in making confident decisions and getting more organs to the patients who need them.